The Volkswagen Beetle (also sold as the Volkswagen Käfer, Volkswagen Coccinelle, Volkswagen Maggiolino, Volkswagen Fusca in some countries) is a
small family car
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
In 2011, the C- ...
manufactured and marketed by
Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
introduced in 2011 for the 2012
model year
The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured.
...
, as the successor to the
New Beetle
The Volkswagen New Beetle is a compact car, introduced by Volkswagen in 1997, drawing heavy inspiration from the exterior design of the original Beetle. Unlike the original Beetle, the New Beetle has its engine in the front, driving the fron ...
launched in 1997. It features a lower profile while retaining an overall shape recalling the original
Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle.
One of Volkswagen's goals with the model was to give it a more aggressive appearance while giving it some stylistic aspects reminiscent of the Type 1.
This was an attempt to distance the new model from the New Beetle, produced from 1997 to 2011, which never approached the success of the first Beetle.
The second generation "new" Beetle shares the
"A5" (PQ35) platform with the current generation
Volkswagen Jetta
The Volkswagen Jetta () is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche above the firm's Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations, variously as the Atlant ...
and is built alongside the Jetta, Golf Variant and the old Jetta ("Clásico") at Volkswagen's plant in
Puebla
Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...
, Mexico.
[Spy Shots: First photos of 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle](_blank)
accessdate 2010-1231 It is longer than the previous New Beetle at and also has a lower profile, lower than its predecessor, and wider. The trunk is now , up from .
A
convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
version followed the
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
for the 2013 model year, first shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2012 when it also went on sale.
Head of Technical Development for VW, Frank Welsch, indicated at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show that this would be the Beetle's final generation.
On 13 September 2018, Volkswagen announced that the Beetle production would end in July 2019. The final third generation Beetle (a denim blue
coupe
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
) finished production on 9 July 2019 and was presented on the assembly line the next day. The model was officially retired at a ceremony in
Puebla City
Puebla de Zaragoza (; nah, Cuetlaxcoapan), formally Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, formerly Puebla de los Ángeles during colonial times, or known in English simply as Puebla, is the seat of Puebla Municipality. It is the capital and largest city ...
later that day.
Launch
On 22 November 2010, on the final episode of the ''
Oprah's Favorite Things
"Oprah's Favorite Things" was an annual segment that appeared on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' from the 1990s to 2008 and 2010, as well as on ''Rachael Ray'' in 2017. In the segment, which airs during Thanksgiving week and was inspired by the holiday ...
'' special,
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...
and Volkswagen announced every audience member that day would receive one of the Beetles upon its release in 2011. VW staff gave the audience their special keys to the car. This was followed by a teaser commercial during
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champi ...
in February 2011.
To celebrate the global reveal, VW partnered with
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, to make a debut on three continents on 18 April. The reveal began in Shanghai, China with a MTV Sound System celebration hosted by MTV VJs, followed by
MTV World Stage
MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia was a concert series in Malaysia from 2007 to 2015.
On August 15, 2009, MTV Asia staged the an outdoor concert at Sunway Lagoon resort in Kuala Lumpur. The event was attended by over 15,000 people and featured a r ...
events in Berlin and New York City.
On 18 April 2011, the 2012 model was unveiled as the Volkswagen Beetle, dropping the word "New" from its name. It debuted at the 14th
Auto Shanghai
Auto Shanghai (), officially known as the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (), is a biennial international automobile show that alternates with the Beijing Auto Show (Auto China) as China's yearly international automotive ...
and the
New York International Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Su ...
.
During the marketing campaign at Mexico, it was advertised as "The new Vocho" (oddly in English) in the "Das Auto" marketing campaign.
Engines
The new model retains the
front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout
In automotive design, a front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout, or FF layout, places both the internal combustion engine and driven roadwheels at the front of the vehicle.
Usage implications
Historically, this designation was used reg ...
of the New Beetle, while improving interior packaging with more room in the rear.
Four-cylinder engine
The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized.
Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...
options for the European market are expected to include 1.2-litre (), 1.4-litre () and 2.0-litre ()
TSI petrol engine
A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as ''E ...
s, and 1.6-litre () and 2.0-litre ()
TDI diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
s. In addition to the 2.0-litre TSI and TDI engines, base North American Beetles were originally fitted with a ()
straight-five engine
The straight-five engine (also referred to as an inline-five engine; abbreviated I5 or L5) is a piston engine with five cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankshaft.
Although less common than straight-four engines and straight-six eng ...
(engine code CBTA/CBUA) earlier used on the
Golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
and
Jetta.
From 2015 onward, the 2.5L straight-five was phased out in favor of a 1.8L four-cylinder TSI of comparable horsepower ratings but improved torque ratings over the straight-five.
All engines for this model are offered with an option of a six-speed
manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...
or the option of a dual-clutch DSG automatic. In the United States, transmissions on petrol models come with either a five-speed manual or optional six-speed
automatic on 2.5/1.8T models, while on the diesel models there is the option of a DSG six-speed
dual-clutch transmission
A dual-clutch transmission (DCT) (sometimes referred to as a twin-clutch transmission) is a type of multi-speed motor vehicle, vehicle Transmission (mechanics), transmission system, that uses two separate clutches for odd and even gear train, g ...
.
Special editions
Black Turbo launch edition
The first special edition of the 2012 Beetle is the Black Turbo launch edition. It was limited to 600 cars on the U.S. market and will be the first car available through Volkswagen’s new Vehicle Pre-Order program.
Turbo Black
A Beetle Turbo Black made an appearance at the 30th annual Wörthersee Treffen in June 2011 in Reifnitz, Austria. It was located on the floating barge showcase at the entrance to the show. Other cars on the barge included a Reifnitz Edition GTI and the Touareg Racer.
e-Bugster
The e-Bugster was a concept vehicle shown at the
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show as of 2022 and prior to NAIAS, is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., at Huntington Place. The show was held in January from 1989 to 2019. ...
in January 2012; it is a
battery-electric vehicle using a motor drawing from a 28.3 kW-hr lithium ion traction battery, for a range of . It previewed the styling for an anticipated convertible edition of the A5; compared to the conventional Beetle, the e-Bugster was wider and the roof was shorter. Unlike other new Beetles, the E-Bugster is a two-seater, true to its
Speedster styling, instead of
2+2. Volkswagen allowed journalist
Damon Lavrinc to drive the prototype and explained the powertrain components were taken from the contemporary
e-Golf that shared the VW PQ35 platform, produced for the California market. Top speed was limited to for the test drive.
Fender Edition
In 2012, Volkswagen partnered with
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC, or simply Fender) is an American manufacturer of instruments and amplifiers. Fender produces acoustic guitars, bass amplifiers and public address equipment, however it is best known for its ...
to release a limited edition Beetle for the 2013 model year. The Beetle Fender Edition uses the Beetle Turbo's front fascia and the 2.5L model's 18" disc wheels. Unique exterior features consist of Fender badges and chrome side mirror covers. The interior features a sunburst dashboard panel that pays homage to the
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...
, a 400 watt premium audio system with nine speakers, an LCD screen, and a 10-channel amplifier.
Xbox special edition
In January 2013, an official Xbox special edition was released. It uses the straight-five 2.5 L (170 hp) and comes in three different colors: Black, White and Silver all of them with the characteristic Xbox colors, panoramic sunroof, rear spoiler and 18" rims. This special edition was available only for the Mexican market.
GSR Limited Edition
In February 2013 at the
Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Place
convention center. It is the largest auto show in North America.
History
Samuel Miles, formerly a promoter of bicycle shows, produced the first "official" Chic ...
, Volkswagen introduced the Beetle GSR Limited Edition. It is painted in yellow and black and only 3,500 will be produced, half of which will be sold in the United States, the other half in Europe. This special edition is modelled after the original 1973 special edition Super Beetle dubbed the GSR or, ''Gelb Schwarz Renner'', Yellow Black Racer in English. It was also the only Volkswagen that was offered with a factory boost gauge. The new GSR comes with Volkswagen's new 2.0l turbo four cylinder, this time making an extra 10 horsepower for a total of .
File:VW Beetle GSR IAA 2013.jpg, VW Beetle GSR at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show
R-Line
Volkswagen has started production of a new R-Line Beetle. This new, limited edition trim level comes equipped with the new 210 hp gen3 turbo four, new front fascia and a metal dash plate finished off with 'R' badging all around. Along with increased performance, the new engine is expected to get about 8% greater fuel economy, or around 1–2 more miles per gallon. The engine will be fitted to all Volkswagens that currently use the gen2 2.0l turbo four.
Dune
A version with a rugged off-road look called the 'Beetle Dune' went on sale in 2016. Although
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...
is not available, the car's suspension has been raised by and an exclusive yellow colour is available as an option.
File:2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune TSi BlueMotion Tech 1.2 Front.jpg, VW Beetle Dune
File:2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune TSi BlueMotion Tech 1.2 Rear.jpg, VW Beetle Dune
Beetle #PinkBeetle
The Beetle #PinkBeetle first began life as a concept car called the “Beetle Pink Edition”, but was renamed to Volkswagen Beetle #PinkBeetle upon production. It is version with pink accent and exclusive pink color, and was unveiled at the 2015
New York Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Su ...
alongside the Beetle Wave. It is the only model whose model name is a hashtag in it. The Beetle #PinkBeetle was produced from 2017 to early 2018.
Beetle Wave
The Beetle Wave, also known as the Beetle Surf, is the
concept
Concepts are defined as abstract ideas. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of the concept behind principles, thoughts and beliefs.
They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by s ...
stage of the
Beetle Coast, with two prototypes being unveiled at the 2015
New York Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Su ...
and the 2015
Frankfurt Auto Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
. It is a special version of the Beetle with 2 fully-wooden
surfboards
A surfboard is a narrow plank used in surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding an ocean wave. They were invented in ancient Hawaii, where they were known as ''papa he'e ...
, an exclusive orange accent and “habanero orange” color, a
houndstooth
Houndstooth, hounds tooth check or hound's tooth (and similar spellings), also known as dogstooth, dogtooth, dog's tooth, (), (), is a duotone textile pattern characterized by broken checks or abstract four-pointed shapes, traditionally in black ...
interior, real wood garnish for the dashboard, chrome mirror caps, 19-inch “Tornado”-design wheels, and Michigan
license plates
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate (American English), or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identificat ...
that read “
NEW YORK CITY
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
- BTL SRF”. The car pays homage to the
Volkswagen Type 2 (T1)
The Volkswagen Type 2, known officially (depending on body type) as the Transporter, Kombi or Microbus, or, informally, as the Bus (US), Camper (UK) or Bulli (Germany), is a forward control light commercial vehicle introduced in 1950 by the G ...
, as both vehicles were designed for summertime enjoyment. Standard trim options include a soft convertible top.
Beetle Coast
The Beetle Coast is the production version of the Beetle Wave concept car, officially released on January 1, 2018. It comes with 2 options: retractable hardtop and cabriolet. It is available in Deep Sea Teal, along with surf wood dash accents, a houndstooth interior (carried over from its concept stage) and a sunroof (only available on the Retractable Hardtop option) with disk-design
hubcaps
A hubcap or hub cap is a decorative disk on an automobile wheel that covers at minimum the central portion of the wheel, called the hub. An automobile hubcap is used to cover the wheel hub and the wheel fasteners to reduce the accumulation o ...
instead of the “Tornado”-design wheels from its concept. The Beetle Coast was designed to compete with the
Honda Civic
The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Acc ...
,
Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra, also known as the Hyundai Avante ( ko, 현대 아반떼), is a compact car produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai since 1990. The Elantra was initially marketed as the ''Lantra'' in Austra ...
, and the
Mazda3
The Mazda3 (known as the Mazda Axela in Japan (first three generations), a combination of "accelerate" and "excellent") is a compact car manufactured by Mazda. It was first introduced in 2003 as a 2004 model, replacing the Mazda Familia, Familia ...
.
53 Edition
A version with red, white and blue stripes running from front to back vertically and 53s on the doors, hood and trunk, made to resemble the paint job of
Herbie The Love Bug, was sold exclusively in Spain.
Final Edition
The Final Edition is the final version of the model sold in 2019 with two colors that were tributes to past Beetle models: Safari Uni Beige and Stonewashed Blue. Three other colors offered are Platinum Grey, Pure White, and Deep Black Pearl. The Final Edition came in both coupe and convertible body styles. There are two trims: SE and SEL.
File:2019 Volkswagen Beetle A5 rear NYIAS 2019.jpg, VW Beetle Final Edition
Yearly American sales
The previous generation New Beetle Convertible was sold alongside the Beetle Coupe (A5) in 2012. An all-new A5 based Beetle Convertible replaced the New Beetle Convertible for the 2013 model year.
References
External links
{{Authority control
2010s cars
Volkswagen Beetle
Compact cars
Coupés
Hatchbacks
Convertibles
Cars introduced in 2011
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Retro-style automobiles